Women offer their breast milk to needy babies in Cape Verde

Lactating women in Cape Verde have decided to mark this year’s international maternal breastfeeding week in a novel way.

They will offer their breast milk to weak, premature and orphaned children.

The week’s event is being strictly commemorated across the island country under the close supervision of health authorities.

Infants of up to six months and mostly those born with a disability or whose mothers are deceased are the main focus of the breastfeeding week.

Breast milk banks have been set up throughout the country and women are turning out en masse after having been fully educated about the importance of the event.

About 92 litres of breast milk have at one moment been donated by 200 women and fed to 152 infants, Edith Pereira, a health official, explained, adding that one young lady had donated eight litres in five days.

Clinical measures

Even women living with HIV/Aids are not being exempted from offering their breast milk. For this category, precautionary clinical measures will be taken before their milk is given to the needy infants, a health official explained.

Addressing reporters in a maternity centre in the capital Praia, laboratory officials explained that the HIV/Aids virus is eliminated at 53C after which the milk is pasteurized at 62.5C.